What is a Crinkits?  That is a great question and I am glad you asked.   First, let me say that I am a big fan of the Crinkits and we are partial toward the fun, creative dog toy.  So with that said, what is a Crinkits?.  A Crinkits is an interactive dog toy that was created by Zach Day over at Zigoo Pets.   This fun dog toy allows you to insert an old plastic water bottle inside the Crinkits to make a “Crinkit” noise.   The best part about the Crinkits dog toy to us is that not only is it a great interactive toy that dogs love to play with because they love the noise of the bottle crunching but this toy is made in the USA of recyclable materials.   So not only is it a great dog toy but it fits our Eco-friendly focus for dog toys by being made of recycled materials.    But do not take our word for it, check out the Crinkits for yourself here.

Crinkits come in two fun sizes:

• 16 oz Crinkits Dog Toy
• 8 oz Crinkits Dog Toy

Have you ever wondered where all that waste goes to that is picked up and thrown into the trash?  Well, maybe not. As thinking about our pet’s waste is not exactly the topic that tends to be on our minds when our dogs do their business.  It is a stinky proposition, that is for sure, what happens to our pet waste once it is taken away to the land fill.   Today I would like to share about a new line of biodegradable pet waste bags that help keep pet waste out of the landfill.  You may be thinking to yourself, how is that possible and what is this post going to be about?  Well, great question and I am glad you asked, as I too am always looking for a more Eco-friendly way to handle waste and in this case pet waste.   But before I begin, if you would like to find out more about Pet Waste and the impact it has on our communities and environment, check out the Waste Not, Want Not post we featured a few posts back.

Today I would like to highlight a newer product on the market that is called “Flush Puppies“.  This product is a pet waste bag but it is more than a bag as it is an Eco-friendly way to dispose of your pet’s waste.   These bags are not like a typical pet waste bag but are different in that they can be flushed.  Yes, that is right, they are flushable.  They are 100% hydro-biodegradable and made of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) – a water soluble, Eco-friendly, alternative to plastic bags– Flush Puppies are specifically made to allow them to be disposed of down the toilet.   What makes the Flush Puppies unique is that they are biodegradable in water and unlike other plastic pet waste bags are easily disposed of.  What a great concept and what better way to keep bags out of the landfill that are not truly biodegradable.

If you have a great product or service that you would like to feature on Natural Pet Grocer, we would love to hear from you.  We are always looking for Eco-friendly and tail-wagging products that help make our home and community safer by being a little more “Eco-friendly”.

Please drop us a line and let us know how we can be of help.  To a great and Eco-friendly tail-wagging day.

In 2013 you may have set some New Year’s Resolutions for yourself but have you considered setting some New Year’s Resolutions for your pooch?  Well, maybe setting resolutions for your dog is a little bit of a stretch since it is hard to even keep our own personal resolutions.   So what does this have to do with An Eco-friendly Guide to Raising a Happy, Healthy Dog?   Well, what I would like to highlight is book that Natural Pet Grocer has recently put out that highlights some tips on raising a dog Eco-friendly.   Hoping that for the year 2013 you may be inspired to make a little change that could have a big impact on you, your pooch and also those around you.   The challenge I propose is that if you would make one little change over the course of each month, you will have made a total of 12 changes in 2013.  The best part about the changes is that they may be things you have already been considering and even better is that the changes are something you can do with your best friend, your pooch.

To help you with some tips on being more Eco-friendly Natural Pet Grocer would like to share with you the book we have written called “An Eco-Friendly Guide to Raising a Happy, Healthy Dog”.

In the book “An Eco-Friendly Guide to Raising a Happy, Healthy Dog” you will find topics and tips on:

• Simple yet concise guide for raising a Happy, Healthy Dog.
• Do you have questions on what toys your dog should play with?
• Are there to many foods to choose from and not sure which one is right for my dog?
• In “An Eco-friendly Guide to Raising a Happy, Healthy Dog”, you’ll learn all you ever wanted to know about: Organic, holistic, and raw dog food
• Dental care for dogs
• Green dog care products
• Natural lawn care
• Natural remedies for your pet
• Natural pest control
• Eco-friendly dog toys
• Green cleaning tips

To find out more about these great tips on raising a Happy, Healthy “Eco-friendly” dog be sure to check out “An Eco-Friendly Guide to Raising a Happy, Healthy Dog at Amazon.  If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you.  To a super 2013 and to a Happy, Healthy Pooch!

Today’s topic may be helpful to many pet owners as many along the East Coast  prepare for a Historic Storm that is due to hit the Northeast over the next few days.   Hurricane Sandy as she has been called has been leaving her mark and I thought today I would offer a free copy of the ebook: Preparing_Your_Pet_for_a_Natural_Disaster_Pet_Safety_and_Emergency_Preparedness_Guide_Pawrific  Please feel free to download a copy and also feel free to send to friends and family that may find this little guide handy.

Preparing Your Pet for a Natural Disaster

Introduction …………………………………………………………4
Medication and Vaccinations……………………………………7
Create an Emergency Kit …………………………………………10
Evacuation Plan ……………………………………………………14
Resources…………………………………………………………….18

Currently, there’s an estimated 1 billion pet cats and dogs worldwide, and all of these pets require land and energy to produce resources that animals need. With so many pet owners around the world, imagine the difference we could make if those pet owners committed to using natural, eco-friendly products for their pets.    As an article by World News points out, it’s important to reduce our carbon footprint—and paw print.

The trend towards “luxury” pet food is a major cause for concern from an environmentally friendly standpoint.  Four major corporations dominate the $50 billion pet food industry and are creating a large amount of our world’s pet food while expelling a great amount of emissions.  These four companies, Nestlé, Mars, Procter & Gamble and Colgate, control 80% of the global pet food market and use a huge amount of energy, most from fossil fuels, in order to make the food.  Keep in mind that this food is also tinned, bagged and transported all over the planet.

Many of these companies boast an energy-efficient mindset and plans to help save the environment.  Mars, the company that makes Pedigree and Whiskas, tout green power usage, such as wind turbines in Yorkshire, to make their pet food.  According to the company, operations generate about 15 million tons of greenhouse pollution.  Because of this, the company has planned a “Sustainable in a Generation” program that is committed to “achieving zero fossil fuel energy use and zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2040.”

But the company has only agreed to apply the program with the company’s direct emissions—and Mars’ supply chain emissions that help to produce rice, beef, meat, dairy, corn and wheat, make up 87 percent of the total emissions and is not included in the zero-emissions effort.

According to APSCA, about 62 percent of all households in the United States have a pet.  It’s important to realize where your pet food is coming from and how it’s being made.  Big pet industry corporations are expanding into developing countries, making pet food and products that result in a large number of emissions and further deepen our carbon footprint.  We want our pets healthy—and our planet, too.

Natural Pet Grocer gives a big Pawtastic Thank You to Paige Taylor for sharing this special post on Natural Pet Care and Reducing your Carbon Footprint.   Author Bio:

Paige Taylor is a creative writer from Michigan who is passionate about the “green” movement and all things natural.  She writes for Best Drug Rehabilitation and spreads awareness on the benefits of holistic drug rehab.

If you missed the first part of An Eco-friendly and Green Guide to Puppy Care, be sure to check it out here.  This week I would like to continue on puppy care with part 3 and cover the topic of Socializing Your Puppy.

Socializing Your Puppy

Finally, we come to the topic of socializing your puppy. Teaching social skills to your puppy means you are helping her learn how to be comfortable and respond appropriately to a variety of people, animals, environments, and situations. This allows her to become accustomed to the things that will be part of her everyday life, such as sights, sounds, and scents.

Puppy socialization happens in a few different phases:

• Between 3 and 12 weeks of age, your puppy will be the most accepting of new experiences.
• Between 12 and 18 weeks of age, your puppy will become more cautious of anything she hasn’t encountered yet and each passing week will make it harder for her to accept and enjoy new things.
• After 18 weeks of age, time has basically run out and it will be difficult (if not impossible) to help her become comfortable with something she’s wary or afraid of.

Thus, it’s important to start socializing her when she’s young. You can start by taking her to puppy classes or daycare specifically designated for socializing. Invite friends and family over to meet your new puppy, or schedule a play date for her to socialize with other puppies in the neighborhood. Other options would include taking her to the park, or simply taking her for walks along different routes, to get her used to the different people, animals, sights and sounds in her neighborhood.

In addition to that, you’ll want to get her used to any person or routine that will become a regular part of her life, such as: garbage trucks, postal workers, dog walkers, grooming and bathing, veterinarians, children, and more.

Socializing your puppy is an important part of her growing experience, as it helps her remain calm and relaxed during new or different situations. A dog that is not socialized much with others (if at all) is more likely to react out of fear or aggression, towards anything or anyone they deem unfamiliar or a threat. No one likes to feel constantly stressed out, so the more you socialize your puppy with new people or places the more likely she’ll be comfortable in a variety of situations as an adult.

One key thing to remember when socializing your puppy is to not overwhelm her with new experiences. If you notice that a new environment or encounter with some animals has her frightened, take her somewhere she’ll be more comfortable. Some situations might call for a more gradual approach, while others she might enjoy immediately. Every time she socializes well with others, praise her and reward her with play time or treats.

Ultimately, a good series of socialization experiences for your puppy will teach her how to enjoy or become accustomed to new experiences, and it will also teach her when to react with caution to new things that could really be dangerous.

Hopefully, these articles will help you with your new, furry bundle of joy! Remember to be patient with her, have fun teaching and learning from her, and always show her that she is loved. Too many animals are given up for adoption, neglected, or put down because their human companion simply didn’t care enough. Don’t let yours become another statistic. Puppies are living, breathing, growing, sentient creatures and they need to be cared for as such. Simply give her a happy, healthy, green environment to live in and you’ll have enjoyable experiences for years to come.

If you found this topic helpful, we would love to hear from you.  If you found it not so helpful, we still would love to hear from you.  Natural Pet Grocer specializes in Natural and Eco-friendly Dog Products and Services for dog owners.  If you would like to find out more about Natural Pet Care, be sure to check out the book “An Eco-friendly Guide to Raising a Happy Healthy, Dog”.

Natural Pet Grocer is located in Gilbertsville, PA and on the weekends you can find them at the age old Farmer’s Market Zern’s.  Be sure to mention you heard us on NaturalPetGrocer.com when stopping by.

If you missed the first part of An Eco-friendly and Green Guide to Puppy Care, be sure to check it out here.  This week I would like to continue on puppy care with part 2 and cover the topic of chewing and mouthing habits.

Chewing and Mouthing Habits

If you’ve ever had a dog before, then you know they love to chew on things—toys, shoes, even furniture. In some cases, this behavior is perfectly fine, such as when they are playing with their toys, but if they start biting people, you need to teach them proper mouthing habits before it turns into an aggression problem.

The first thing you need to understand is puppies and dogs use their mouths to investigate things. They don’t have fingers and thumbs like us, so they can’t pick things up to examine them. Instead, they use their mouths.

The second thing you need to understand is smacking them or yelling at them for biting you or chewing on things they shouldn’t (like furniture) will not solve the problem or teach them anything.

To take control of your puppy’s chewing habits, try the following routine:

When playing with the puppy, let her “mouth” on your hands, until she bites hard. When that happens, immediately give a high-pitched yelp as if you’re hurt, and let your hand go limp. This should startle the puppy enough that she’ll momentarily stop mouthing/biting you. If the yelp doesn’t work, try saying something like “you blew it!” in a stern voice. If your puppy stops the biting/mouthing behavior or licks you, praise her. Resume the playing. If your puppy bites hard again, yelp again.

Repeat this routine 3 times (no more) during a 15-minute period.

If the yelping or stern speaking doesn’t work, you can try a time-out procedure. When the puppy bites hard, yelp loud enough to startle her, then remove your hand and ignore her for 10-20 seconds. If she tries mouthing on you again, get up and move away for 10-20 seconds. When that time has passed, return to playing with the puppy.  Avoid sudden movements like jerking your hands or feet away from her, as that will only entice her to jump and bite at you more.

Repeat the process. As she makes progress, you’ll want to keep doing the routine with moderately hard bites and so forth, until her mouthing habits are gentle nibbles or don’t involve using her teeth at all. The lesson you want to get across to her is that gentle play and mouthing is good, but biting and rough play needs to stop.

Once your puppy learns how to control her mouthing habits, the next thing you’ll need to teach her is that her teeth do not belong on a person’s skin. Here are some tips and tricks for doing that:

• Give her a toy or chew bone to play with if she tries to bite your fingers or toes. You should also give her a new toy occasionally anyway, so she will be encouraged to play with them instead.
• If she mouths your hands while being petted, distract her by feeding her small treats from your other hand. This will get her used to being touched and petted, without mouthing the person doing it.
• Encourage other forms of play, such as fetch and tug-of-war. These provide great exercise routines for your puppy, without a need for wrestling or rough play. If she tries to mouth on you anyway, redirect her to playing with the toy.
• If your puppy Is a little ankle-biter, carry her favorite tug toy in your pocket. When she comes after your feet, stop moving, take out the toy and wave it at her. When she grabs the toy, start moving again. If you don’t have a toy, just freeze and wait for her to stop mouthing. When she stops, praise her and get a toy for her to play with, as a reward. Repeat this until your puppy gets used to watching you move around and doesn’t feel the need to attack your feet anymore.
• Provide your puppy with plenty of opportunities to play and socialize with other puppies and friendly, vaccinated adult dogs. This is important for her development and she will also learn better behavior through the experience.
• If your puppy has a temper tantrum (her body might look stiff or frozen, she might expose her teeth or growl, and her bites will be more painful), avoid yelping and simply remain calm and unemotional. Give your puppy some time to calm down. Unfortunately, if tantrums happen a lot, she may need help from a professional because it’s not a behavior she will grow out of, like the mouthing.

Most importantly: Be patient! Mouthing is normal behavior for puppies and young dogs, so it will take time to get through this phase.

One last thing when it comes to curbing your puppy’s mouthing behavior: physical punishment is never an option. Smacking the puppy, scruff shaking, slapping her on the nose and all other forms of physical punishment will hurt and scare her. It will likely cause her to bite harder and respond with aggression in return. Don’t discourage your puppy from playing with you, as playtime helps her build a strong bond with you. Simply work on teaching her to play gently.

Next time we will continue with the puppy care with Socializing Your Puppy.  If you found this topic helpful, we would love to hear from you.  If you found it not so helpful, we still would love to hear from you.  Natural Pet Grocer specializes in Natural and Eco-friendly Dog Products and Services for dog owners.  If you would like to find out more about Natural Pet Care, be sure to check out the book “An Eco-friendly Guide to Raising a Happy Healthy, Dog”.

Natural Pet Grocer is located in Gilbertsville, PA and on the weekends you can find them at the age old Farmer’s Market Zern’s.  Be sure to mention you heard us on NaturalPetGrocer.com when stopping by.

House Training

House Training is the name of the process used to teach your puppy that she should go to the bathroom outside, not inside the house. There are a number of ways to do this; one method in particular that many people seem to swear by is “crate training”. I will not be writing about that here. The idea of keeping a puppy locked in a cage for any length of time does not teach her anything. Rubbing her nose in a mess she makes will also not help. That will only teach her where to find that same spot again and more likely than not, she will use that spot again.

In fact, unless you catch your puppy right when she’s urinating or defecating on the floor, punishing won’t do any good at all. She needs to be able to associate the act of urinating in the house directly with the punishment and yelling at her or attempting to punish her after the incident happens will only make her fear you.

In order for your puppy to learn properly, you need to give her the freedom to make mistakes! In other words: expect accidents to happen. Suppose you work during the day and no one is home to take care of the puppy. That’s at least 8 hours that she’ll be home alone. Putting her in a cage is a bad idea because she could try to chew her way out of it and end up with a damaged mouth. Some puppies have also been known to defecate in the cage and then eat it afterwards—needless to say, that’s not healthy!

As stated in the previous article, you should have an area of the house already set aside for the puppy. This area should be free of items that could hurt her, like sharp or heavy objects, cleaners or chemical products of any kind, and electrical cords. You should also keep anything you don’t want her to destroy out of her reach. The area you set aside for her will be a place where she can roam freely, play, sleep, eat, and yes, have “accidents”.

If you happen to catch her right in the middle of making a mess on the floor, you should clap loudly, stomp, or make some other loud noise with objects nearby. The point is to get her attention and make her realize that going to the bathroom on the floor is wrong. Immediately take her outside (gently, there’s no need to be rough) and wait until she goes again. Then, reward her with some praise or a treat for going to the bathroom in the right area.

The most important thing to remember when house training a puppy is you must create a routine and stick to it 100%. Feed her at the same times every day. When feeding time is over, take the food away from her. Immediately take her outside after she eats. Also, once she does go to the bathroom outside, do not bring her in right away (unless there’s bad weather, of course). Let your puppy play outside for a bit and explore your yard. This will be a learning experience for her about the outside world and she may end up going to the bathroom again during the exploring or play time.

In addition to taking your puppy outside after eating, you should also take her outside: the first thing in the morning, the last thing before bed at night, anytime after she wakes up from a nap, anytime after playing a lot in the house, and anytime before you are about to leave her alone for an extended period (2 hours or more). Always take her to the same spot every time, so she gets used to the idea of the routine and always praise her or give her a treat when she goes to the bathroom outside. This could include play time or a nice walk around the neighborhood.

The more your puppy follows the routine, the more freedom you’ll be able to give her to roam the house. Please note that house training shouldn’t start until the puppy is at least 12 weeks old and accidents may happen up to a year old (give or take a couple months). Also understand that getting her to stick to the routine is more your responsibility than hers, because if you don’t stick to it, she won’t either.

One other tip for house training your new puppy: learn her signals. Puppies may whine, bark, walk in circles, sniff the ground, or scratch at the door if they need to go to the bathroom. If you hear or see any of these signals, take her outside. Also, I can tell you from experience that just because you take the puppy outside does not always mean she will go to the bathroom right away. You may need to walk her around the yard a bit first and expect to wait up to 30 minutes for her to do anything.

Next time we will continue with the puppy care with Chewing and Mouthing Habits.  If you found this topic helpful, we would love to hear from you.  If you found it not so helpful, we still would love to hear from you.  Natural Pet Grocer specializes in Natural and Eco-friendly Dog Products and Services for dog owners.  If you would like to find out more about Natural Pet Care, be sure to check out the book “An Eco-friendly Guide to Raising a Happy Healthy, Dog”.

Natural Pet Grocer is located in Gilbertsville, PA and on the weekends you can find them at the age old Farmer’s Market Zern’s.  Be sure to mention you heard us on NaturalPetGrocer.com when stopping by.

Be Green

If you missed our first to parts on raising a green puppy be sure to check out part 1 here and part 2 to Preparing For A Puppy – A Mini Guide on Green Puppy Care here.

Bringing the Puppy Home

When you go to get the puppy, ask the breeder (or shelter/store workers) when the last time was that she was fed and what her feeding schedule has been like so far. Also make sure to ask what her bathroom habits and schedule are like. You will need to stick to this feeding and bathroom schedule initially (for the first few days), while gradually switching to the new schedule you’ve prepared for her.

Another thing you should do is bring an item from your home, such as an old pillow or throw-blanket, so she can get used to the scent of your home. You should also take an item that she prefers from the breeder/shelter, such as a toy she likes to play with, so she will have something familiar to comfort her.
When the time comes to put her in the car, the best thing to do is place her in a crate or carrier with a blanket and a toy. The crate or carrier must be big enough for her to stand up, turn around, and lie down in comfortably. If you do not have a crate or carrier, the next best option would be for someone (preferably a grown-up) to hold her. In either case, she must be placed in the backseat of the vehicle. Do not let her run around freely in the car, as she may be injured if you need to stop suddenly.

If the trip home is going to be long (over an hour), bring a collar and leash, and possibly also some food and water, in case her feeding time is soon or to see if she needs to go to the bathroom.

From the moment you get home, you should start following a schedule/routine immediately. Start by taking her outside to go to the bathroom and see if she wants to play for a bit. She will need extended periods of family time and brief periods of being alone. The family time will help her become more comfortable with her new surroundings and people, and the time alone will help her deal better with the times you may not be around, such as sleeping at night or when you go to work.

The puppy may cry or whimper while she is alone, but it is recommended that you do not give in to her (at least, not right away). When you start to leave her alone, check on her after a few minutes to see how she is doing. She may be lonely, confused, or frustrated at first, and she may express these things by having an “accident” in the home, or possibly chewing on something she shouldn’t. The goal is to have her deal with being alone in a positive way, such as by playing with her toys, or simply relaxing, and not by getting in trouble or crying non-stop.

Gradually increase the “solitary confinement” over time and reward her with praise, treats, or playtime when she behaves properly. If she misbehaves, just take it with a grain of salt and stick to the routine; scolding her or rubbing her nose in a mess she makes will not do any good. However, if you have another pet that she gets along with, it may help to let them spend time with her while you are away (or asleep), as the interaction may keep her out of trouble.

Well, that’s all for this article. Check back soon for another article on puppy care, which will include information on house training, socializing your puppy, dealing with mouthing/biting issues, and more!  If you missed the first part of the Preparing for A Puppy, you can catch up here.

If you found this topic helpful or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Natural Pet Grocer anytime.  We thank you for stopping by and would love to hear from you.  If you have a new puppy, we would love to see your puppy.  Stop by our Facebook Page and feel free to post a picture of your new puppy.

“To Raising a Happy, Healthy Dog, One Home at a Time, Naturally”
Pickup your copy of the book “An Eco-friendly Guide to Raising a Happy, Healthy Dog”